Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to improve access by haulage workers to (a) toilet facilities, (b) drive-throughs and (c) other essential services during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Secretary of State has written to all English Motorway Service Area operators stressing the importance of providing as many facilities as possible to Heavy Good Vehicles (HGV) drivers including food and washing facilities, while adhering to public health guidelines.
In addition, we have published a signed letter with Sarah Albon, CEO of the Health and Safety Executive, to remind businesses of their obligations under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, to provide suitable toilet and hand washing facilities to drivers visiting their premises.
We have also launched a number of pilots of rapid workplace testing for transport operators to lay the groundwork for a wider roll-out of testing across the transport sector. The criteria for joining the workplace testing programme has now been expanded to businesses with more than 50 employees, boosting the availability of rapid testing further.
Asked by: Holly Mumby-Croft (Conservative - Scunthorpe)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will ensure that haulage workers making long journeys are able to access (a) drive-throughs, (b) take-away restaurants and (c) toilet facilities.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
In seeking to support hauliers at this difficult time, the Secretary of State has written to and continues to remind all Motorway Service Area (MSA) operators of the importance of staying open and providing as many facilities as possible to Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) drivers while adhering to public health guidelines.
All motorway service stations in England can remain open to HGV drivers and essential workers, providing takeaway food only, toilet facilities and fuel. MSAs have also been given an exemption, along with other transport hubs, to have their seating within the concourse still available throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, because they offer a safe place for HGV drivers and other key workers to stop and rest.
The Department for Transport has published a joint letter with the Health and Safety Executive on gov.uk, reminding businesses of their legal obligation to provide toilet and handwashing facilities to drivers visiting their premises as part of their work.